LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alfred Edward LEWIS
Service No: 412458
Born: Coolamon NSW, 20 December 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: No. 75 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Newmarket
Died: Air Operations: (No. 75 Squadron Stirling aircraft R9290), off the Danish Coast, 28 April 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert and Mabel Jane Lewis, of Coolamon, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Coolamon NSW
Remembered: Panel 193, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Coolamon War Memorial, Coolamon NSW
Remembered: Coolamon District Honour Roll, Coolamon NSW
At 1841 hours on 28 April 1943 Stirling R9290 took off from Newmarket to carry out a mine laying operation off the Danish Coast. The aircraft failed to return to base. Post war enquiries and investigations established that the aircraft exploded in mid-air at approximately 0023 hours at a point west of Vesternas, over the water of the Osterso. There were strong anti-aircraft batteries located at this point. No bodies were recovered but articles of clothing and some remains were washed ashore, and in 1946 a Memorial Plaque was erected.
The crew members of R9290 were:
Flying Officer Charles John Bickham (49977) (RAF) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Henry George Corin (417269) (RNZAF) (Navigator)
Sergeant Andrew Graham (1369996) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Victor Charles Howes (413418) (RNZAF) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Alfred Edward Lewis (412458) (Pilot)
Sergeant Frederick Arthur Moulton (1292879) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Herbert Whitehart (964185) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/24/85
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line